In forming integrated circuits, it is known to provide one or more test circuits as semiconductor process “monitoring vehicles.” Generally, these process “monitoring vehicles” may be used for Very Large Scale Integration (“VLSI”) process technologies; however, smaller or larger scale process integration may use monitoring vehicles for semiconductor processing. Example areas of application of such process monitoring vehicles include defect monitoring, manufacturability of design monitoring, and resistance monitoring, among other known areas of application. Notably, as used herein, the words “include” and “including” shall mean include or including without limitation. Examples of test circuits used as process monitoring vehicles may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,727,710 B1 and 6,281,696 B1.
One area of process monitoring has been in the area of transistor variability. However, such monitoring has been limited in capability owing at least in part to use of single discrete transistors as monitoring vehicles. As transistors become more sensitive to process variation, due at least in part to smaller lithographic dimensions on the order of 90 nanometers and less, the need to have more in-depth monitoring capability of transistors becomes more apparent.
Accordingly, it would be desirable and useful to provide a process monitoring vehicle that expands the capability to monitor transistor parameters.